Calvin Klein Collection, Shenyang

We began our concept design with a reverence for the original architectural intents of the Calvin Klein Collection stores. They have developed a serene and prismatic vocabulary of signature elements: niches, case goods, and lighting that are immediately identifiable with the brand. It was our intent to “evolve” this iconic language into a new paradigm. We proposed a twofold design strategy: firstly, a new spatial element in the form of a “salon” that acts as both bridge and filter between the programmatic elements of the store. Secondly, we proposed the merging of as many of the original details and elements into a series of regulating lines that are both iconic and flexible. A salon is defined as a gathering of people, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation and display. Our design embeds this concept at the store’s center. It allows us to create a curated space where elements of the entire collection can exist in a more intimate environment. Architecturally the salon takes the form of a series of blackened steel ribs that repeat at different dimensions and intervals through the center of the store. The interior is populated with an almost residentially scaled series of scrims, fixtures and furniture shapes that invite close inspection of the items displayed. Developing the idea of a monolithic lit plane at the back of the store as a device to animate what is usually only conceived as a mere terminus, this back band of light has a magnetic effect in terms of pedestrian traffic, especially in a typically over- crowded visual retail environment. The salon, then, is at once a sophisticated social and sales space, and a visual filtering device providing a nuanced and compelling view into the store.